Soil mechanics laboratory

Experiment name: Determination of Field dry unit

weight of compaction by sand cone method

Experiment number: 8

Dr. Bassem Khalil

Student name: Ahmad Awwad

Day: Wednesday
Date: 10/4/2019
Introduction :

Dry Density of soil is the mass of dry soil ( mass of solid particles
only ) per 1 unit volume of the soil .

When the dry density for a given soil increases , its strength , bearing
( capacity to resist stresses ) , and other engineering properties will
became better .

The dry density of the soil depends on two main factors

1-Specific gravity of the soil solid particles … when the specific

gravity of the solid increases , the dry density will increase .

2-Percent of air voids to the total volume of soil … when the percent
of air voids increases , the dry density decreases .

The purpose of the experiment :

The main goals of this experiment is to :

1- Determine the in-situ dry unit weight of a soil ( γ d field ) .

2- Determine the compaction degree of the soil .

3-Asses the need for more compaction for the soil in the field or not .
The equipments used in the experiment :
1- Sand density cone apparatus
Consist of
A) 1 – gallon threaded jar .
B ) Detachable double brass cone .
C ) A brass cylindrical valve with a ½ inch diameter orifice

2-Detachable double Brass Sand cone with a valve

The bottom brass cone has a diameter of 6.5 inch .
The diameter of the valve equals ½ inch .

3- Density plate

*The plate dimensions is ( 12 inch * 12 inch ) .

*The plate has a circular hole in its center with 6.5 inch diameter .
*The plate has edges with ½ inch height .

4- Balance
5- Compaction mold
6- Drying oven
7- Axe
8- Ottawa Sand
9- Mini shovel
10- Gallon container
 Process and procedure :
A ) Calibration of unit weight of Ottawa sand .

1-Determine the mass of the empty , dry compaction mold , ( W1 ) .

2-Fill the compaction mold with Ottawa sand until the top surface of
Ottawa sand is even with the top of the mold ( In order for the volume
of Ottawa sand to be equal to the compaction mold volume ) .

3-Determine the mass of the compaction mold filled with Ottawa sand ,
( W2 ) .

4-Calculate the unit weight of Ottawa sand ( γ Ottawa sand ) using the
given mass values and the known value for the mold volume .

B ) Calibration of Brass cone .

1-Determine the weight of the sand density cone apparatus filled with
Ottawa sand , before use , … mass of bottle + cone + sand before use ,
( W3 ) .

2-Flip the sand density cone apparatus on the density plate on a flat
closed surface , and open the valve .

3-Agitate and hit the sides of the bottle in order for the sand to pass
throw the valve and fill the bottom cone ( be sure to hold the base of
the brass cone on the density plate all the time in order to avoid the
loss in Ottawa sand ) .

4-When there is no change in the Ottawa sand level in the bottle , the
bottom cone if full with Ottawa sand .
5-Close the valve , and remove the sand density cone apparatus , then
determine the Weight of the apparatus after using it , mass of bottle
+ cone + sand after use , ( W4 ) .

6-Determine the mass of Ottawa sand required to fill the cone by

subtracting the mass of the sand density cone apparatus after using it
from its mass before using it .

C ) Determining the in-situ dry density for a soil .

1-Determine the mass of empty , dry large container ( gallon can )

( W5 )

2-Determine the weight of the sand density cone apparatus before

using it in the field , mass of bottle plus cone plus Ottawa sand before
using in the field ( W6 ) .

3-Put the density plate on the soil in the field ( Choose a flat clean
place ) .
4- Carefully , make a hole under the plate opening , and take all the
soil that you extract from the hole and put it in the gallon cane
( avoid any losses in the mass of the soil that you extract from the
hole in digging process or collecting process ) .

* The in-situ hole should has a volume less than the volume of the
sand in the bottle minus the sand needed to fill the cone .

5-Flip the sand density cone apparatus on the density plate on top of
the hole , and open the valve of the apparatus .

6-Agitate and hit the bottle on its sides in order for Ottawa sand to pass
throw the valve and fill the hole and the bottom cone ( When there is
no change in the Ottawa sand level in the bottle , this mean that the
 hole and bottom cone had been completely filled with sand ) so close
the valve .

* Be sure to hold the base of the brass cone on the density plate all the
time in order to avoid the loss in Ottawa sand .

7-Determine the mass of the gallon can plus the moist soil sample
from the hole in the field , ( W7 ) .

8-Determine its mass after the using it in the field … mass of bottle
plus cone plus Ottawa sand after using it in the field ( W8 ) .

9-Put the gallon can with the moist soil in the oven for 24 hour until a
constant weight readings are obtained ( the sample is fully dry ) .

10- Determine the mass of the gallon can plus the dried soil sample ,
( W9 ) .

Empirical relationships :
1-Unit weight of Ottawa sand ( γ Ottawa sand )
Weight of Ottawa sand
γ Ottawa sand = -----------------------------------
Volume of Ottawa sand

W2 – W1
γ Ottawa sand = ---------------
943.9 cm3

γ Ottawa sand : Moist unit weight of Ottawa sand ( g / cm3 ) .

W1 : Weight of empty , dry compaction mold ( g ) .
W2 : Weight of compaction mold filled with Ottawa sand ( g ) .
V Ottawa sand = V mold = ( 1 / 30 ) ft3 = 943.9 cm3 .
2-Mass of Ottawa sand required to fill the bottom cone ( W c )
W c = W3 – W4

W c : Weight of Ottawa sand required to fill the bottom cone ( g ) .

W3 : Weight of bottle plus cone plus Ottawa sand before using it in
cone calibration ( g ).
W4 : Weight of bottle plus cone plus Ottawa sand after using it in cone
calibration ( g ) .

3-Volume of in-situ hole ( V hole )

V hole = Mass of Ottawa sand required to fill the hole / Density of Ottawa sand

V hole = ( W6 – W8 – W c ) / γ Ottawa sand

W6 : Weight of bottle plus cone plus Ottawa sand before using it in

field ( g ) .
W8 : Weight of bottle plus cone plus Ottawa sand after using it in
field ( g ) .
W c : Weight of Ottawa sand required to fill the bottom cone ( g ) .
γ Ottawa sand : Moist unit weight of Ottawa sand ( g / cm3 ) .

4-Moist unit weight of field soil ( γ moist soil )

γ Moist soil = mass of in-site moist soil sample / Volume of soil

γ moist soil = ( W7 – W 5 ) / V hole

γ moist soil : Moist unit weight of soil in field ( g / cm3 ) .

W7 : Mass of gallon can plus moist field soil ( g ) .
W5 : Mass of empty , dry gallon can ( g ) .
V soil = V hole .
5-Water content of field soil sample ( w % )

W7 – W9
w % = --------------- * 100
W9 – W5

w % : Water content of field soil sample ( % ) .

W5 : Mass of empty , dry gallon can ( g ) .
W7 : Mass of gallon can plus moist field soil ( g ) .
W9 : Mass of gallon can plus dry field soil ( g ) .

6-Dry unit weight of field soil ( γ d soil )

γ moist soil
γ d field = --------------------
1 + ( w % / 100 )

γ d soil : Dry unit weight of soil in field ( g / cm3 ) .

γ moist soil : Moist unit weight of soil in field ( g / cm3 ) .
w % : Water content of field soil sample ( % ) .

7-Compaction degree

γ d field
Compaction degree = --------------------
γ d maximum proctor

γ d soil : Dry unit weight of soil in field ( g / cm3 ) .

γ d maximum proctor : Maximum dry unit weight of soil in
proctor compaction test ( g / cm3 ) .
Experimentally data and Calculations :
V1 = 943 cm3

W1 = 3356.6 g W2 = 4887.2 g W3 = 9451.4 g

W4 = 7756.3 g W5 = 258.3 g W6 = 9492.3 g
W7 = 3320.2 g W8 = 5013 g W9 = 2986.0 g

From previous experiment γ maximum dry proctor = 1.683 g / cm3

* γ Ottawa sand = ( W2 – W1 ) / V1
= ( 4887.2 – 3356.6 ) / 943
= 1.623 g / cm3

* W c = W3 – W4
= 9451.4 – 7756.3
= 1695.1 g

* V soil = V hole = V2
= ( W6 – W8 – W c ) / γ Ottawa sand
= ( 9492.3 – 5013 – 1695.1 ) / 1.623
= 1715.465 cm3 .

* γ moist soil = ( W7 – W5 ) / V2
= ( 3320.2 – 258.3) / 1715.465
= 1.784 g / cm3
* w % = ( ( W7 – W9 ) / ( W9 – W5 )) * 100
= (( 3320.2 – 2986 ) / ( 2986 – 258.3 )) * 100
= 12.252 %
* γ dry field = γ moist soil / ( 1 + ( w % / 100 ) )
= 1.784 / ( 1 + ( 12.252 / 100 ) )
= 1.589 g / cm3

* Compaction degree = ( γ dry soil / γ maximum dry proctor ) * 100

= ( 1.589 / 1.683 ) * 100
= 94.949 %
≈ 95 %
Conclusions :
1-Field dry density of soil ( γ dry field = 1.589 g / cm3 ) .

2-Compaction degree of the soil in the field equals 95 % .

So the soil is compacted very well .

The Compaction degree in this experiment is wrong because we

compared two completely different types of soil . ( The type of soil
used in the standard compaction test was brown clayey soil , where the
type of soil used in the dry unit weight experiment is yellowish sandy
soil ) … The compaction degree must be a comparison between two
values for the dry unit weight for the same soil.
Sources of error :
There is too many sources for errors in this experiment , most of it is
personal errors due to the student’s lake of experience , the principal
errors are …

1-There is a significant large amount of field soil that had been lost
from the soil that was in the in-situ hole , because of improper digging
process , and improper collecting process .

2-The lake of accuracy in the used equipments , specially the balance .

3-The bottom cone had Not been completely filled with Ottawa sand
neither is the calibration process ( which cause an error in the value of
the mass of the required Ottawa sand to fill the bottom cone ) , or
specially in the field filling hole process ( which cause an error in the
calculated value for the volume of the in-situ hole .